Wal-Mart Hits Back

January 15 2005 - Wal-Mart has launched a nationwide campaign to 'set the record straight'.

The company has placed a full-page ad in more than 100 newspapers across the USA in which Wal-Mart Chief Executive Officer H. Lee Scott said it was time for the public to hear the "unfiltered truth" about Wal-Mart, and time for the company to stand up on behalf of a workforce that includes 1.2 million Americans.

"There are a lot of 'urban legends' going around these days about Wal-Mart, but facts are facts," Scott said. "Wal-Mart is good for consumers, good for communities and good for the U.S. economy."

Scott acknowledges the "unusual approach" by Wal-Mart to place ads in newspapers including USA Today, The Wall Street Journal and The New York Times. The ad is a direct letter from Scott.

"For too long, others have had free rein to say things about our company that just aren't true," Scott continued. "Our associates are tired of it and we've decided it's time to draw our own line in the sand.

"We understand that, as one of the most visible corporations in the world, we will be a target for criticism. When it is valid, we try to learn from it and become a better company," Scott said. "But we have made a commitment to our associates, customers and suppliers that when false allegations are made about Wal-Mart, we will actively correct the record. That's what this day is all about."

Wal-Mart has also launched a 'non-commercial' website, http://www.walmartfacts.com to present 'facts about the company' to associates, consumers, reporters and others.

See also: Wal-Mart Fined for Child Labor Violations